


Is This Love (That I'm Feelin'?)

by aspiringwordsmith



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Mixtape, Prom, That Sweet Sweet Michael & Christine Friendship, also there's a, minecraft is the height of romance, so is that scene from say anything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 08:32:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11687925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiringwordsmith/pseuds/aspiringwordsmith
Summary: Jeremy & Michael ask each other to prom in equally elaborate, romantic ways; Christine, Brooke, & Chloe keep them from screwing it up too badly.





	Is This Love (That I'm Feelin'?)

**Author's Note:**

> There's a mixtape involved in this fic, and that playlist actually exists and can be found [here](https://open.spotify.com/user/jrp253/playlist/0UswXKK7meD06XCT1Gb13c). I'm not very good at playlists but this one's aiight. Jeremy unabashedly loves Owl City and I'll fight you on that. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [boffinsandbeasties](https://boffinsandbeasties.tumblr.com).

Jeremy stared hard at the list in front of him, clicking the end of his pen against the table. Sighing, he flipped it around and crossed out what he’d just written.

“Whatcha doing, Jeremy?”

Oh no. No, no, he’d specifically chosen a spot in the corner of the library so that no one could read over his shoulder. Well, as long as Brooke stayed on the other side of the table–

“He’s probably writing Naruto erotica,” came Chloe’s voice, and oh, great, they were sliding into seats on either side of him.

“ _Chloe_ ,” Brooke scolded, but she was clearly holding back a laugh. She set her bag down and looked at Jeremy, who hunched himself over his notebook and attempted to cover it casually with his arms. Brooke’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Uh…that’s not what you’re doing, is it, Jeremy?”

“N-no!” Jeremy exclaimed. He could feel himself flushing. Damn it.

“Then what are you doing?” asked Chloe, one eyebrow raised.

“Math homework,” he lied.

Chloe smirked. She clearly wasn’t convinced. “Oh, really? Could you explain number four to me? I was having trouble following the lesson today.”

“I uh…I didn’t get number four either,” Jeremy lied again, but Brooke had already taken advantage of his distraction by sliding the notebook out from under his arms. Shit. That girl was more devious than she let on.

A few months ago this behavior would have made Jeremy miserable. Now that they were friends, he knew it was meant as good-natured teasing – but he was still a little embarrassed to have anyone read what he was working on.

“Ooooh, Jeremy, this is cute!” Brooke squealed.

Chloe perked up. “Lemme see,” she demanded, thrusting a hand out. Brooke passed her the notebook.

“Promposal Ideas,” she read aloud. “‘Number one: spell out ‘Prom?’ in pizza toppings.’ Jeremy, that’s  _so_  overdone–”

“Give me that,” Jeremy demanded, snatching his list back. “I’m not doing that one, anyway. S’crossed out, see?”

“But you’re gonna ask him, though, right?” Brooke said anxiously.

“I– who says it’s a ‘him,’ huh? You don’t know who I’m–”

“Please,” Chloe scoffed. “You and Mell can’t make eye contact for one millisecond without going all cow-eyed.”

“Oh,” said Jeremy, blushing impossibly deeper. “We…weren’t gonna tell you guys right away…”

Brooke gasped. “Wait, you’re  _together_?”

“Well…yeah,” said Jeremy, smiling a little. “I mean, it’s pretty new, and we haven’t, uh, defined it yet, but…yeah. It’s a…thing. A thing that’s happening.”

“Thank  _god_ ,” said Chloe, sounding exasperated – but she was smiling too. “I was worried you were still in the pining stage. Thought we were gonna have to lock you guys in a closet or something.”

Jeremy laughed. “That won’t be necessary,” he assured her.

Chloe hummed. “Might still do it, though.”

“Please don’t.”

“Some of these are really good, though!” said Brooke, bringing the discussion back to the list in front of them. “‘I would be SODA-lighted if you went to prom with me?’ Attached to a case of…what’s Orbitz?”

“Isn’t that the lava-lamp soda from the 90s?” asked Chloe.

Jeremy gave her a sidelong glance. “Yeah. How’d you know that?”

“Michael…might have mentioned it.” She looked up at Jeremy and Brooke, both of whom looked surprised. “Ipayattentiontothingsmyfriendslikenowokay?” she blurted.

“Aww,” chorused Jeremy and Brooke in unison.

Chloe seemed eager to get back to Jeremy’s list. “You make my insides go all ‘slushie’? C’mon, Jeremy, isn’t that a bit on the nose?”

“I think it’s cute,” Brooke pouted.

“Are they  _all_  beverage-themed?”

“Ohmygod shut up, both of you. I’m not using that one either,” Jeremy grumbled.

“Good,” said Chloe. She continued down the list. “This one’s kinda funny, Heere. ‘I know you’re gay as hell but can I take you straight to prom?’ That’s good stuff.”

Jeremy laughed halfheartedly. He knew Michael would get a kick out of that one, but he wanted it to be kind of…sweet? More sweet than actually funny? Ugh. Why was this so difficult?

Brooke laid a hand on his arm. She could probably see how much he was stressing himself out. “Jeremy, I’m sure Michael would love any of these. And besides, you guys are already together, right? So just ask him. No big deal.”

“It  _is_ , though,” Jeremy said, putting his head in his hands. “It’s the biggest deal. Everybody remembers their prom. _Forever_. And I think it’s a bigger deal to Michael than he lets on.” Brooke gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder. “And I just wanna get this  _right_  but I don’t wanna be cliche and I’m not sure how big to go and what if he doesn’t want to go at all? Or what if–”

“Jeremy,” Chloe interrupted, leaning forward and staring him down. “Calm down. Brooke’s right. A lot of these are really thoughtful and make me want to vomit, which means Michael will love them. You could pick literally any of them. If you ask me, though, this is the best one.” She pointed to an item about halfway down the list.

“You think so?” Jeremy asked.

Brooke peered at the idea Chloe had indicated. “Ooooh, yeah, that’s perfect! Classic, but not too played out–”

“Not too corny?” Jeremy said doubtfully.

“Nah,” said Chloe. “Not for him. He’ll appreciate the reference. And, y’know, the ‘vintage’ vibes.”

Jeremy considered it. It was his favorite idea of the bunch. And his friends’ reasoning made sense. “If you say so,” he said warily.

“Yessss,” said Chloe, doing a rapid fist-pump motion that made Brooke giggle. “Okay, you’ve gotta let us help you.”

“Oh, uh, I don’t think–” Jeremy began, but Chloe wouldn’t take no for an answer. She’d already dragged him and Brooke from their chairs and was leading them out of the library.

“I know  _exactly_ how this should go down…”

* * *

“You’re overthinking it.”

Michael startled, looking up from the crack in the sidewalk he’d unintentionally been glaring at. He slid his headphones off to rest around his neck. “What?”

Christine plopped down on the bench next to him. He usually came out to the courtyard during study halls, and Christine usually joined him, but she seemed to have an air of purpose about her today. “You’re overthinking it,” she repeated.

He feigned ignorance. “Overthinking it? Nah, I’m just getting into the music. This playlist is–”

“Michael,” she interrupted. “That’s not your ‘into the music’ face. I know that face. I make that face. That,” she said, jabbing a finger so quickly towards his nose that he flinched, “is your ‘overthinking it’ face.”

Michael shrugged. Maybe he could still play this off and avoid the conversation altogether. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. How was lunch with Brooke?”

Christine’s face lit up. “It was nice! We–” her eyes narrowed. “Oh, nice try. No. Don’t change the subject. We’re talking about it.”

“Christiiiine,” he whined.

“Just ask him! You gotta ask him, Michael, he can’t read your mind.”  

“But I don’t know  _how_  to ask him,” he complained. “I’ve been surfing pinterest for days, but all the good ideas have already been done a million times.”

“You don’t have to make a big deal out of it,” Christine reminded him. “He wouldn’t  _want_  you to make a big deal out of it.”

“How do you know that, though?”  

“Because I know Jeremy,” she said, “and you do too. He doesn’t need some elaborate scheme. He’ll be happy enough that it’s  _you_.” She smiled fondly. “He’ll be ecstatic that you put any thought into it at all, Michael, trust me.”

“But I want it to be  _good_ ,” Michael said, frustrated. “Like – what’d Brooke do for yours?”

Christine went pink. “She, uh.” She looked down, a soft smile spreading over her face. “She…wrote me a poem. A sonnet. In iambic pentameter and everything. And she snuck it in with my history notes.” She pressed her hands to her face, still grinning hard. “It was really quite good.”

“Fuck, that’s cute.” Michael sighed. “And that made you happy?”

“Yeaaah,” said Christine dreamily.

“I wanna do that for Jeremy.”

Christine looked up at him. “Write him a poem?”

“No, I mean–” he shook his head. “Make him that happy. But I haven’t got any ideas.”

Christine looked out over the courtyard, seemingly deep in thought. “Well,” she said eventually. “Brooke based hers on something she knew I liked. What does Jeremy like? Let’s start there.”

Michael thought for a moment. “He likes…out-of-print games. Retro skates. Our Pac-Man tattoos. Aquariums. Minecraft. Funyuns. Cheesy pop music he won’t admit to listening to. Stealing my hoodie. He likes theatre, but not as much as you do–”

“Okay,” said Christine patiently. “And do any of those things give you any ideas?”

“I could….spell out ‘PROM’ in Funyuns?” he offered.

Christine shuddered. “Gross. No. Everything would smell like fake onions forever.”

Michael laughed. “Relax, I’m kidding. I do have one idea. But it’s…” he thought about it. “…Oh god, it’s super nerdy.”

Christine turned bodily towards him on the bench. “Tellmetellmetellmetellme.”

“Okay, okay,” he relented, smiling. “But you gotta help me make it.”

* * *

Michael was putting the finishing touches on his surprise when his phone buzzed with a text from Jeremy.

_hey, what are u doing rn?_

Michael set his controller down and typed out his response.

 _just video games. why, u wanna hang?_  Michael hoped so. That way, he could ask Jeremy right then and be done with it.

His phone buzzed again, and he was suddenly nervous. Actually, no, asking Jeremy tonight was a terrible idea. He needed more time. He wasn’t ready. He opened the text and breathed a sigh of relief when he discovered Jeremy wasn’t angling for a hangout.

_I was just wondering if you could check something for me. did I leave my phone charger in ur living room?_

Michael frowned, confused.  _why would u have left it there?_  He turned his attention back to his game, saving and pausing as Jeremy typed his response.

_idk man can u just check_

_my phone is dying_

_michael_

_michael pls_

Huffing a laugh, Michael stood, stretched, and started up the stairs. It was far from the first time Jeremy had left his belongings at Michael’s house. He performed a quick sweep of all the outlets in the living room. Nope. He didn’t see a charger on the floor or the coffee table, either. He was about to start checking between the couch cushions when he suddenly became aware of a familiar song playing in the distance, bassline thumping softly through the darkening windows.

A familiar song with a reggae beat.

Michael’s head snapped up. He turned, slowly, to the window–

–to see Jeremy standing outside, leaning against his parked car, a boombox hoisted over his head John Cusack-style.

Michael gaped. His dorky, self-conscious best friend, attempting possibly the most iconic romantic gesture in film history? And succeeding? Chloe’s fingerprints were all over this, but Michael was too giddy to care.

Still in disbelief, he cranked open the windows and squinted against the setting sun. Jeremy must have used some of those window paint markers to write PROM? in large block letters on the passenger-side windows of his father’s Camry. The boombox he was holding looked so old that Michael was surprised it still held together, let alone sounded as good as it did. And he  _had_ recognized the song it was playing – Marley’s “Is This Love” had just entered its first chorus. One of his favorites, and probably the sappiest Marley jam Jeremy could come up with.

Michael pressed a hand to his mouth to hide a crazy grin.

“Uh….hey,” Jeremy called across the lawn.

About twelve different responses raced through Michael’s head, each less smooth than the last, until he finally blurted, “I couldn’t find your charger.”

And immediately he wanted to wrap himself in the curtains and die.

“Oh! That was, uh, just a ploy to get you up here–”

“Right, yeah, of course it was, I just didn’t, um. Never mind,” Michael said hastily. Wrapping himself in the curtains was still looking like maybe a good idea, but there was Jeremy, blushing scarlet and looking at him expectantly and still propping up that damn boombox with his stick-skinny arms.

“So…will you, I mean, would you like to maybe–”

“Yes,” said Michael breathlessly. “Sorry, yes, of course, I’d love to, Jeremy, can you– can you just get over here and let me kiss you, please?”

Jeremy’s answering smile made something warm and bright explode somewhere behind Michael’s ribcage. Jeremy crossed the lawn in a few long strides, boombox in tow. He balanced it on the windowsill and turned the volume down so they could talk.

“Where did you get that thing?” Michael found himself asking.

“The attic,” Jeremy told him. “Dad’s a bit of a hoarder. This thing plays cassette tapes.”

“Holy shit.” Michael peered at the deck to see the reels spinning inside. “That’s awesome.”

“Brooke said you’d appreciate the authenticity.” Jeremy remarked. “So, uh. Really? You’ll come to prom with me? Cause, uh, I’d get it, if you weren’t that into it, or–”

“I’m super into it,” Michael said truthfully. “If it’s with you? I’m super into it.”

“Cool,” Jeremy managed, ducking his head. “I gotta warn you, though, I can’t dance.”

Michael hummed, swaying gently in time with the music still floating from the cassette player. “All you really have to do is this,” he explained, reaching through the window to place guiding hands on Jeremy’s waist. Soon, Jeremy was swaying too. He slid his arms up around Michael’s neck.  

“Think I can manage this,” Jeremy said softly.

It was a little awkward with half a wall still between them, but the song was beginning to fade out anyway. They drifted closer and closer until their foreheads were pressed together. Jeremy’s eyes fluttered shut, and Michael was suddenly struck by how long his eyelashes were as they swept down over freckled cheeks. As the last few notes sounded, Michael leaned forward and pressed their lips together.

The kiss was soft and sweet and everything Michael needed it to be. For a few moments, there was only Jeremy’s mouth on his, his breath warm against his cheek. When they broke apart, Michael noticed that “Is This Love” had ended and a new song had taken its place. When the chorus hit, Jeremy hummed along.  _Lucky I’m in love with my best friend…_

“Jason Mraz, seriously?” Michael asked, but really he’d gone warm and fuzzy inside.

“I know, I know, I just.” Jeremy was pouting, just a little. “I thought it was nice.”

“It is pretty perfect,” Michael admitted, stroking a thumb absently across Jeremy’s cheek. “Pretty sure it’s just one song, though, in the movie. You gonna stand there all night?”

“I couldn’t pick just one song. I made a playlist,” Jeremy said sheepishly.

Oh.

“A mixtape, actually. You’ve still got that old walkman, right?”

Oh, but he loved this boy.

“Yeah,” Michael said absently. He was busy picturing Jeremy figuring out how to work a tape deck, crafting a list of songs, and painstakingly recording each one. Michael’s heart swelled. Every song from there on out could be Jason fucking Mraz, and it’d still be the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him. Overwhelmed, he surged forward to kiss Jeremy again. A few moments in, though, and he felt a warm hand on his chest, pushing him back through the window, and. Oh. He hadn’t realized he’d tilted them that far forward.

Jeremy was giggling. “Maybe I should come inside, yeah?”

“Y-yeah,” Michael said, still a little dazed. He turned away. “I’ll get the door–”

But there was a great rush of movement behind him, and with a shout of “PARKOUR!” Jeremy had leapt through the open window. Surprisingly, he stuck the landing, but immediately stumbled forward into the coffee table. “Ow,” he grumbled, rubbing his knee.

Michael laughed. Good to see Jeremy was still a total dork, despite having managed to be really fucking romantic for a minute there. And, holy shit, they were gonna go to prom together. They were gonna hold hands and take dumb cute pictures and dance badly and make out in the fancy bathroom. Michael hadn’t really let himself be excited before, in case Jeremy said no to  _his_  promposal, but  _now_ –

Oh yeah. His promposal.

Well, he hadn’t spent all that time on it for nothing. “C’mon. I’ve got something to show you.” Michael started down the stairs. “And bring the tunes,” he called.

Jeremy balked when he saw the screen. “Minecraft? Aw, man, we haven’t played minecraft in  _years_.” Jeremy was suddenly full of childlike excitement. “Remember that one time we–”

“–spent 24 hours straight building that fucking tower only to lose it to creepers? How could I forget?” Michael said. “You were so fucking  _sad_ , I felt terrible.”

“It was probably the most devastating moment of my young life,” said Jeremy sagely. “But at least it was a pretty spectacular explosion.” He flopped down onto the beanbag next to Michael’s. “So. What did you want to show me?”

“Close your eyes for a sec. I gotta get it set up.”

Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut obediently. Michael triple-checked that everything was in order, then navigated to the building he wanted Jeremy to start in. He nudged Jeremy and handed him the controller.

Jeremy accepted it, surprised. “You want me to play?”

Michael nodded. “You’ll see why.”

“Oooh, mysterious. Okay.” Jeremy swiveled the camera around, taking in his character’s surroundings. “This place seems familiar,” he said thoughtfully, walking around the stone house Michael had started him in. And then something seemed to dawn on him. “Oh, no way. Is this–” Excitedly, he walked outside. “This is the little town we built!” Jeremy laughed in delight, and Michael felt his stomach flip pleasantly. “Dude, you still have this saved?”

“’Course I do,” said Michael, smiling up at him from where he was slouched in his beanbag. “Remember your library?”

Jeremy gasped. “Oh my god, the library!” He had his character head toward a grand building across a neat town square.

“You spent so long on that thing,” Michael remembered, watching Jeremy take in his masterpiece.

“Yeah, well you spent so long on your little garden, so…”

“Hey! My ‘little garden’ has every type of plant in the game, and it’s beautiful!” Michael argued.

“Sorry, sorry. Yes, your garden is delightful, Mr. Landscape Architect.” Jeremy had left the library and was meandering through the garden. “I can’t believe how well I remember this place. This was pretty good for a couple of 10-year-olds.”

“Damn right it was good. We were ahead of our time.”

“True visionaries,” said Jeremy, snorting. “Hey, wait a sec. This is new.” Jeremy had arrived at a little train platform. The screen showed tracks leading out of the town, farther than they could see.

“That’s your ride outta here,” said Michael cryptically.

Jeremy placed a minecart on the rails and got in. The cart rocketed through a valley, passing trees and cows until it reached….

“A big wall of sand,” Jeremy observed. “Michael, it’s just what I’ve always wanted. I’m touched.”

“Go hit the lever, you goob,” Michael said fondly.

Jeremy disembarked and hit the switch planted a few blocks in front of the end of the tracks. The wall of sand cascaded downward to reveal building-sized letters: “WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME?” The switch also triggered a round of fireworks to go off in the background. Michael watched smugly as Jeremy’s jaw dropped.

“I was gonna ask, but you beat me to it,” Michael explained, but Jeremy was already in motion. He rolled out of his beanbag, scrambled across the floor, and wrapped his arms around Michael’s middle.

“That’s the cutest idea anyone’s ever had, ever,” Jeremy squeaked into Michael’s stomach.

Michael laughed, careful not to jostle Jeremy’s head, and hugged him back. “I dunno,” he told him. “I think you and your boombox have me beat.” Michael glanced over at the cassette player, which was now softly playing “I Melt With You” by Modern English. Another solid choice. It made Michael feel as if he were in a movie.

Jeremy lifted his head. “Nah, man, yours was genius,” he said, blushing. “I loved it. And, uh, yes. Obviously. I’ll go to prom with you.”

Michael just grinned at him. “Cool.” He bit his lip. “I’m…I’m really excited,” he admitted.

“Me too,” said Jeremy softly. He planted a hand on the beanbag on either side of Michael and lifted himself up so that they were face to face. Michael looked up at him, backlit prettily by the lamps of his basement bedroom. In the next moment, Jeremy was kissing him sweetly. Michael let his eyes fall shut and lost himself in it.

“Hey,” said Jeremy quietly when they parted. “Can I stay here tonight? N-no reason,” he amended quickly, “I just…like hanging out.”

Michael leaned up and pecked him once more on the lips. “I’d like that,” he said honestly. “…you wanna play minecraft some more?”

“Hell yeah,” said Jeremy, brightening. He spun around in Michael’s arms and leaned tentatively back against him, asking permission. Michael pulled him snug against his chest and felt him relax into the embrace.

His phone vibrated, and he used the arm that wasn’t wrapped around Jeremy to pull it from his pocket. He had a text from Christine.

_So? Got a date for the prom yet? ;)_

Michael smiled.  _yep. your time spent placing sand blocks was not in vain._  He sent that message and typed out another.  _how’d u know he was here? u in cahoots with his team?_

Christine responded a few moments later. _You got me. We are in such deep cahoots. More cahoots than you can imagine._ Michael snorted. Christine was still typing.

_Buuut…being in cahoots means I have access to classified documents_

_documents that you might find interesting_

Michael texted back, interest piqued.  _oh really?_  He watched on screen as Jeremy descended into a cave system.

_Yep. And the cahoots board has voted unanimously to share this one with you._

_Don’t you dare tease him about this michael mell_

_at least not too much_

_bc I will find and kill you_

But the suspense was going to kill him before Christine could.  _oh my god christine what is it_

_it’s proof of just how much that dork loves you_

Her next text was a photo of a notebook page, held in one corner by what was unmistakably one of Chloe’s impeccably manicured hands. At the top of the page, in Jeremy’s messy scrawl, were the words “Promposal Ideas.”

Michael’s grin grew wider with each bulleted item he read. He felt as though he might combust. It was the most achingly sweet thing he’d ever seen.

Christine was right to warn him. He supposed he wouldn’t tease Jeremy…too much.

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: If you want to know more about Brooke's promposal to Christine, I wrote that and it's [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11889762)!


End file.
